A book that cannot burn. A grater on which the Quran has been shredded. A template of a male nipple, which can be used to cover female nipples, allowing one to bypass the censorship on social media. A new exhibition at STORM focuses on satirical reactions to censorship.

Satire is one of the most censored art forms. Throughout centuries, churches and states have criminalized and condemned satire, and even today, various actors attempt to stifle satire. This could be terrorists threatening satirists or social media platforms that exclude them.

The satirists’ creative struggle against censorship

It is often said that censorship makes satire less daring and lively, as many are likely to hold back if they risk losing their job, freedom or even their life. However, The Censored Exhibition on Censorship shows that censorship has not only intimidated but also inspired satirists. It has led them to invent new symbols and new ways to circumvent and ridicule censorship.

The exhibition showcases works that have come into existence solely because there have been – and still are – actors trying to silence satirists. It provides a rare insight into how satirists have viewed censorship as a creative challenge rather than a straitjacket since the beginning of the 19th century.

The Censored Exhibition on Censorship is based on extensive research and presents over 60 works and documents from the 19th century to the present, with a primary focus on the last two decades. The exhibition features works by, among others, Charlie Hebdo, Margaret Atwood, Firoozeh Bazrafkan, Wulffmorgenthaler, Monty Python, Ingmar Berman and Honoré Daumier. There will be no Muhammad drawings in the exhibition, but there will be works addressing the theme that one cannot draw him. The selected works are examples of how censorship has not only inhibited modern satirical art but also contributed to its development in new and interesting ways. Without censorship, these works would not have come into existence.